NSW has recorded 20,794 new circumstances with 1,204 in hospital and 4 deaths as Scott Morrison vows Australia won't ever return into lockdown.
An extra 12 folks have been admitted into ICU in hospitals throughout NSW in a single day - up from 83 sufferers the day earlier.
Sunday marked the primary time there have been greater than 1,000 Covid sufferers in NSW hospitals since October 2. Essentially the most ever recorded was 1,268 on September 21.
Victoria recorded three deaths and eight,577 new infections on Monday - leaping from 1,999 simply seven days in the past and seven,172 circumstances on Sunday.
There are 491 sufferers in Victorian hospitals - up from 472 on Sunday - with 56 folks in ICU and 24 on ventilators.
Regardless of surging case numbers in each states the Prime Minister has declared 'the times of lockdown are over' as a result of the variety of new infections is irrelevant.
The Prime Minister mentioned the variant was 75 per cent much less extreme than the Delta pressure and may very well be publicly managed like different infectious illnesses akin to flu.
Australia detected 32,216 new Covid circumstances on Sunday after a document 35,208 on Saturday.
However when requested if Australia would wish a 'circuit-breaker' lockdown to cease the surge, Mr Morrison informed the At this time Present: 'No. As a result of it's not about numbers.
'I preserve making this level. This can be a totally different kind of variant which requires an evolution of our response.
'The times of lockdown are gone. We're going ahead. We're not going again. That is not the way you handle this virus.
'There shall be excessive case numbers however the severity is rather a lot much less so that you focus in your hospital system.
'I feel you are seeing that. We have 51 folks on ventilators across the nation. 148 folks in ICU.'
Monday's numbers come after it was revealed tons of of sufferers counted in NSW's day by day Covid hospitalisation tally aren't in hospital due to the virus.
Some have merely testing constructive for Covid following routine checks after being admitted for damaged bones or labour pains.
The revelation comes amid warnings infections in Victoria and NSW may soar to as much as 100,000 day by day circumstances inside weeks if present tendencies proceed.
If an infection numbers proceed to double each 4 days case numbers may simply attain 100,000 by the tip of January.
Over in NSW, which noticed greater than 18,000 new circumstances for a 3rd consecutive day and has additionally been predicted to achieve six figures, hospital admissions have topped 1,000.
However information exhibits as many as 50 per cent of 'Covid sufferers' within the state's hospitals have been truly admitted for different causes - akin to a damaged leg, labour pains and even psychological well being points - and later examined constructive to the virus throughout routine checks.
NSW Well being Minister Brad Hazzard has admitted that over two days through the week, as much as half of these circumstances have been in hospital for one thing else solely - elevating questions on how hospitalisation figures are reported.
'An inexpensive proportion of circumstances being categorized as Covid hospitalisations are literally folks with different causes for admission,' Mr Hazzard mentioned.
'Coronary heart assaults, births, falls, none of that stops simply because there's Covid. They arrive into hospital, they've a swab taken and it confirms Covid.
'This exhibits us its out locally, however we aren't essentially seeing that as the first cause for all the admissions.'
Whereas Mr Hazzard admitted hospitals are beneath growing pressure, preliminary evaluation exhibits that Omicron up to now has proved to be a a lot milder sickness for a lot of.
The 1,204 folks in NSW hospitals are amongst 145,418 lively Covid throughout the state.
On September 6, there have been 1,071 hospitalisations from 29,253 circumstances, together with 177 circumstances in ICU, greater than double of the 95 reported on Monday.
Testing charges proceed to stay beneath 100,000, with 96,765 folks coming ahead for testing within the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday evening.
The revelation may present some consolation to residents in each NSW and Victoria who're watching day by day Covid circumstances explode and hospital admissions creep up.
In the meantime, it is estimated round 70 per cent of Victoria's day by day infections are of the Omicron variant because the state continues to additionally battle the extra extreme Delta variant.
Melbourne College head of inhabitants and international well being Nancy Baxter believes the southern state may see 100,000 circumstances by the tip of January if present tendencies persist.
'We're more likely to get to the purpose - and are already beginning to get to the purpose - the place there are tents in entrance of emergency departments,' she informed the Herald Solar.
Hospitalisations are additionally on the rise in Victoria with 491 circumstances at the moment admitted.
Nonetheless, solely 56 are in ICU in comparison with 83 simply earlier than the brand new Omicron variant hit Australia's shores.
Testing clinics are additionally beneath huge pressure as annoyed Melburnians face prolonged delays to be swabbed and wait as much as 4 days to get their outcomes.
Australia's new Covid guidelines:
Many testing centres throughout Melbourne closed inside an hour of opening on Sunday as a result of metropolis's heatwave.
Professor Adrian Esterman, the chair of biostatistics and epidemiology on the College of South Australia, holds related fears for NSW.
'In 4 days time that's about 40,000 circumstances, and 4 days after that 80,000 circumstances, so you'll be able to see how simply it may attain 100,000 circumstances,' he informed the Sydney Morning Herald.
The professor known as for the federal government ought to reintroduce extra Covid restrictions to cease hospitals changing into overwhelmed earlier than the outbreak peaked.
Australian Medical Affiliation vice-president Chris Moy has been inundated with calls from involved docs and medical directors 'struggling' with employees shortages as case numbers rise.
'Folks have a look at the numbers and see the 1,066 in hospitals however the well being system would not simply take care of Covid and persons are having important surgical procedure delayed,' he mentioned.
Dr Moy informed the ABC: 'What's taking place there's that the staffing state of affairs is changing into fairly important.
'I am listening to about groups getting utterly worn out primarily as a result of they're both contacts or they're constructive.'
A NSW Well being spokesperson mentioned as of December 30, 2,510 healthcare employees have been in isolation after being uncovered to Covid-19.
NSW reported a record-breaking 22,577 new infections on Saturday, which is believed to be the results of backlogs in testing centres over the Christmas interval.
